Hello humankindness™

Humanity and Kindness Always Win

by Angela Tague

Be kind. That’s the mantra guiding me as I navigate several life transitions and learn more about myself. Sharing kindness with everyone who crosses my path — and most importantly with myself — increases wellness at-large, and that’s good for humanity. It’s time to drop the “us vs. them” mentality and realize we are one.

Make a Positive Impact

Having a genuine, innate interest in the well-being of others is the essence of humanity, according to Steven Stosny, Ph.D. from Psychology Today. These feelings of empathy and care allow us to become more compassionate and loving, and in turn encourages us to be respectful, helpful, and nurturing.

Make kindness a priority every moment of the day and you’ll soon find that even the most difficult situations become more manageable. How? By discovering that adversity is actually a gift meant to teach valuable lessons such as patience, introspection, and self-control.

For example, when I’m belittled by someone I care about, I remind myself that the person is allowed to have an opinion; however, I don’t have to accept it or react to it. Instead, I’m kind to them and myself by thanking them for sharing their view and then promptly removing myself from the conversation to avoid exposure to further degrading remarks.

Become an Inspiration to Others

Kindness — or initiating a positive action without any expectations in return — is good for you, the person you’re directing the kindness to, and those who witness the altruistic gesture, according to the Chopra Center.

Making an impact on humanity through kindness can happen in several ways. Whether you smile, give a compliment, volunteer your time, make a donation, or present a gift, you’re sharing kindness. I recently joined a group that paints small rocks with positive messages and images, and hides them around our community for others to find. The goal is to create unexpected smiles. It’s a small gesture, but one that creates happiness for both the rock painters and rock finders each day.

Wellness at Dartmouth, a division of Dartmouth College focused on faculty and staff health, shares information about the impact of kindness on their website. Selfless acts create a feeling of goodwill and reduce anxiety. And kindness is contagious — when you do good for others, it inspires them to follow suit or pay it forward. This creates a ripple effect of loving energy that nurtures our faith in humanity across culture, age, and status. All living beings can experience or participate in kind actions.

Will you become a role model and encourage kindness? Will you become part of the wave that lifts humanity?